Almost Like a Fairytale
by VuittonBrown
Summary: Haruhi is locked away in a castle and is to be visited by six suitors. To escape the tower, she must fall in love with a suitor and the feeling must be mutual for both suitor and Haruhi. The suitors have two years to win her love and also free her.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've been dreaming of this moment ever since I first started reading stories on this site. First off, I'm super impressed by the creativity, originality, and talent everyone here has. It's not that easy to think of a topic AND make it a big hit so I truly admire all of you writers on this site. Secondly, I never thought I'd publish a story on here (much less think of an idea). This is my first fanfic and it's about Ouran because currently I'm super obsessed with it. (btw, Tamaki x Haruhi all the way : D ) I appreciate all reviews and criticism because I believe it makes us (writers) better at writing. If anyone likes this idea and thinks I should continue it (because once again, it's just an idea) then please review : ) It is most appreciated! Without further ado, here is the first preview of Almost Like a Fairytale. (Still thinking of a good title)**

** XoXo, Lily Ann**

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Living in a lonesome castle out in the middle of nowhere wasn't as bad as it seemed. I was promised a rescuer by my parents but I wasn't so sure of that because believe it or not, my parents were forced to put me up in the castle because a witch put a spell on them. But, if I wasn't to be contained in the little castle, I was to be murdered on my thirteenth birthday. And well if you're wondering _why _I had to be put up in a castle, it's because the vile witch probably wanted a chance at power because I was to be the queen of the land one day and my suitor would be the king, of course. The little information that I received was actually told in the way of a story. Seven possible suitors would try to capture my heart out of the view of my little miniscule window located directly fifteen feet above the castle's base. Oh, and did I mention, they were the most handsome in all of the land. Hmm, that really makes me wonder what they are like, but I also wish they would hurry up to let me escape from this depressing castle that I'm all locked up in. As I remember, I was told on my thirteenth birthday, the life ahead of me. Living in a confined space with no outside contact, having a social companion of a mouse at the least, but necessities were dropped off; as simple as that, dropped off and forgotten, like a chore, really. But even so, the story was serious in its own way; the princes would have two shots at winning my heart, they would have the time of two years. Even though I wasn't exactly sure as to what date and time one of them would appear, I was sure to be visited by a magnificent princely character. If that handsome man were to steal my heart, I would be allowed to leave. But the feeling would have to be neutral; the delicate flower of love would have to develop and ripen by their second appearance for me to be able to be free of binding. And so as the story continues, everyone lives happily ever after, that is, only if I fall in love.


	2. In the Beginning

So I guess I should start from the beginning, my name is Haruhi Fujioka and my vast wealth of knowledge had left me counting down the days till my sixteenth birthday because of one surprising story.

When I was young I was told by my parents that I would be next in line for the throne and one day I would be queen. They also told me that I had to fall in love at an early age otherwise I'd have an arranged marriage.

This idea of marriage didn't appeal to me in the slightest because in my opinion, falling in love sucked the adventure out of life; always being bonded by a person, following every little piece of advice, taking control of the situation, facing a struggle every day.

I don't see why people want to be forever trapped with a person, especially if you've never even met them before.

But back to the story, at the age of ten, my parents had only informed me of life before a certain witch came around and demanded my imprisonment at the age of thirteen.

Surely you'd expect my parents to say no and sacrifice themselves for my well-being but they were tricked into the witch's words, well they are known to be persuasive.

The deal made between witch and parents went something like this: I know Haruhi has been having problems finding a lover and hasn't been open to many options but I'm here to change that.

See, if you were to confine her inside a closed space – as to not let her run away- and let all kinds of young men actually try to capture her hand in marriage, she might come back from that "confined space" toting a man's hand in her own.

This solution is a wise one, because of her disinterest in an arranged marriage; if she were to be visited by six of only the most handsome men in miles all around, she will surely fall in love and will decide her spouse by herself.

Now, I advise towards this confinement at or before the age of thirteen because she should be given a long time to get comfortable in the tower.

See the witch had been trying to kill me all along and tried to hide her true meaning in the speech, but was prone to giving her word so she at least made sure they were the best six men in all of the country, and I was locked away far past reasonable distance in a castle no less.

The witch's true meaning went something like this: I know how I can finally take over everything, I must get rid of the next in line which is Haruhi Fujioka. I'm sure I can persuade the king and queen to lock her away, all I have to do is trick them.

By locking her away in a castle far, far away, to let her die off, I'll have my chance to rule. It'll be their own words that bind them to agreement. The king and queen will meanwhile be held captive underground.

Again as their words bind them, Haruhi will die on her thirteenth birthday if she is not in the castle. But she shall also be visited by six of the most urbane men. If I am forced to be a slave to my own words; then so shall they.

Now as much as I want to keep reliving those past memories, my only happiness is to come from the hope I put into meeting those six men. The easy part is being freed against my will by an unknown stranger, but the hard part is falling in love.

Apparently that's why the witch actually locked me away; she knew of my difficulties with men and used it against me.

I guess I can't blame her, she hit the right key.


	3. Could it be Today?

**A/N: Okay so the last chapter I didn't have an author's note because I was still trying to figure out everything and such so right now I'm going to do that. Also, I forgot my disclaimers (I knew I forgot something). I'd like to say thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited,and subscribed to my story, you guys really made my day : ) The last chapter was a little slow because I wanted to introduce everything so after this chapter, I'll get some action going on. OOhhh and one more thing, thank you so so so much to my dear friend Brigita. Without her, you guys would have blocks of words all put together like in the prologue ; ) So thanks everyone for supporting me and giving me much-needed feedback! -Lily Ann**

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_Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners. _

_So many times before I had drifted off into sleep and dreamt about petty little things like, would I see a mysterious deer lurking in the nearby trees? Or, what should I make for lunch tomorrow? But not last night, last night I couldn't stop thinking about a visitor. Someone to come rescue me from this troublesome place, someone to free me of this everlasting curse…_

_Just imagining my freedom was enough to get me up into high-hopes land. For the moment I had to calm down before I got so excited that I just might shout out the window for an escape. I would've never thought that today would be the day. _

Today is the day, I really think it is, about a week or so ago, I turned sixteen and now I'm expecting my first suitor. But truthfully, the more I keep thinking about… the more that I'm starting to doubt it. I mean, I guess I should expect a visitor but I guess maybe not so early. Although I remember the time was to be at midnight, I can't help but to feel hope to my possible companion and my possible freedom. I didn't want to be over excited and be all worked up over nothing but I still couldn't shake that feeling from my system.

Today could be the day. I chanted that same mellifluous slogan over and over again in my head until my brain started to throb. To try and pass the time like I always do, I stared out the window at the ever growing frost starting to coat the small window frame in an icy-white cover. I yearned for a chance to touch the heavenly cold glass but thought better of it and continued on my journey of looking out at the wilderness. Trees made up most of the population from what I could tell: birch, oak, pine, maple, so many different varieties. Little meaningless ponds also found their way throughout the map of raw nature. After I gazed a moment more, something was different; it seemed quieter or less populated, whatever it was had caught my attention. Even more reason to expect a late night visitor.

I guess I just had to wait and see.

All throughout the day I kept catching a glance out the window. Cleaning up around my dwelling was far from distracting and only urged me to continue a wide-eyed search out the window. For a moment I dozed off into sleep and thought of the possibility of a late night suitor. Maybe I was too much in the clouds, but still; it's hard to imagine a life without capture, and a life with endless freedom and possibilities, a life with – _Wait, _I had to stop myself right there. I couldn't manage to think about an escape because of what happened last time. I could already feel my body start to silently shake.

Last time, almost two years ago, I hadn't stopped myself.

In the beginning of my imprisonment I was in pure denial. I went about every day in my little castle with a wide grin placated on my face. Humming tunes and sweeping breezily around was my newfound hobby. At the end of the day I would give thanks to everyone, my parents, relatives, citizens of the land, sometimes even the old witch, but that was because I was in denial.

I never had a clue that I was going to be locked away in the castle for an, an _eternity_ or so it seemed…

My mind was keyed up tight with the idea that I would only have to stay here for a few days, maybe weeks but it was never a thought that _years_ would be an option. And so, just like that, I had continued my living and continued obliviousness. That is, until around my fourteenth birthday.

Until my fourteenth birthday I never shed a tear, I never thought pessimistically, and I never considered abandonment. The week after I turned fourteen was pure agony.

My thoughts were so vile and broken that I dared not ever touch the souls of them and ponder them ever so lightly again. Sobs were shed almost every hour, if not every minute. It seemed like a black shadow had been cast upon me, never moving, only weighing me down in an unknown future filled with devastation.

After all that torture and unbound agony, there was a light. It took strength and power to pull myself together but I thought about it and to this day frequently go by this motto _Crying doesn't do anything for you_. I remembered the old stories I had been told about me being rescued and falling in love, and all that. But I never expected a turn for the worst.

Supposedly parents are supposed to know best, maybe not all parents though; maybe there's an exception to mine.

My thoughts had engulfed my brain in a hazy mist of past memories when I abruptly heard an unknown broad voice as it captured my attention

"Hello! Is anyone up there?

I haven't heard a human voice in over three years.

_Am I dreaming_?

Surely it couldn't be my first suitor.

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	4. An Unknown Figure

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners._**

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**Previously… **

"_Hello! Is anyone up there?"_

_I haven't heard a human voice in over three years._

_Am I dreaming?_

_Surely it couldn't be my first suitor._

My mind went on a rampage. Startled little sounds escaped my lips "eh…yehh…be…!"

I had to respond, what's wrong with me? Why couldn't I say "Yes! Yes! Help me! I've been trapped up here for an eternity as it seems! Please, rescue me!"

But no, I couldn't form a coherent answer.

My mind swelled up some more with a feeling of dizzying excitement, giddy shock, and frigid petrification.

But once again I had to think about it, the sound of actual human words had sent a spiraling shiver down my back. If I hadn't been in complete shock, I might've let a few tear droplets of joy and happiness slide down my cheeks, seeking water absorbent fabrics.

Because of my voice restraint, I decided to dash towards the little window to let my presence be known. As I reached the window, I averted my gaze in all directions possible before finally finding the source of the voice.

A shadowy outline covered in grey figures stood proudly about forty feet away from the castle. The stranger's horse was the only thing visible at this distance, at this hour. The remarkably well-kept stallion was glistening a pure, rich midnight black. Even in the moon's light, the stallion's short-cut fur was gleaming.

As for the rest of the horse though, only the darkness knew its true identity.

Upon my appearance, the rider immediately closed in closer to the little castle, most likely trying to get a better look of his maybe new fiancé. I doubt he could actually see me but I knew that I could see him.

Orange tufts of hair blew gently in the wind, slightly hiding his impressive features.

A well-built body with princely clothes to show it off in His outfit was of the deepest-set hue of blue to ever roam the Earth.

The color was as deep as the ocean, but as mischievous as a serpentine river. Along the intricate fabric hems were golden embroideries. Some were in ornate patterns, while others turned into shambles, but of course, were still delicate enough for someone of royalty.

But be that as it may, the most striking feature was his cat-like eyes.

Ready to pounce on a moment's notice.

Ready to take a fiery turn in open battle.

Ready to be responsible for the most confound thing on the planet.

Ready to commit to a long-lost princess seeking not only escape, but love too.

I couldn't help but feverishly blush; blush with all my will and power.

There was only one thing going on in my head.

_Did he come here for me?_

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_**A/N: Okay yeah I know you guys all hate me right now but please don't! I wanted to do a long chapter, I really did, but to me it seemed like right now would be a good chapter-stopper. Wellll on the bright side, you know who it is : ) But yeah, I asked my editor and she said it was up to me to decide whether I should keep on going but in the end, I said that I would do a short chapter but promise to upload twice next week (since I have spring break, YESS!) and make sure they are super-duper long! So hopefully you guys won't give up on this fic because of the sucky author (aka ME) and right now I'd just like to thank EVERYONE for reviewing, subscribing, favoriting, and everything else because I truly appreciate it! :) Reading reviews really make my day a whole lot better and maybe if I get a lot of reviews for this chapter (even though it sucks) I'll upload three times next week. Lol, I can already imagine myself staying up till 3A.M. trying to perfect my stories for my beloved readers ! So thanks again to everyone who is reading this fic and also to my editor. **

**Love. Love. Love. Love -Lily Ann**


	5. This Wasn't Expected

**A/N: Hehe, my longest chapter yet. Since I promised I would update twice this week, this is only the first update, the next update should be on Thursday like usual. Thanks everyone for the positive feedback and stuff, you guys rock and truly deserve this chapter ; ) **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners.**_

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My mind was in shambles and thoughts were running all over the place in my head just as the masked figure took a brave move and jumped off his horse.

Just to see that small gesture, I had to squint painfully through my already teary-appearing eyes.

As he audaciously stepped even closer to the castle, I was one step ahead. How would he be able to get up here? Last-minutely, I was clumsy as I spun on my heels to the different corners of the castle, desperately in search of some climbing material.

After finally finding a stashed away length of rope, I quickly made-do and took the faded, yellow rope and slung it out the window. In hopes that the man would catch it, a smile mysteriously appeared on my face.

Seeing the rope, perhaps, the shadow went to try and climb it after I had successfully tied it down to some loose nail found in the crevice of the castle wall.

As I noticed the nail start to dangerously slouch down, I took up the role of a sturdy nail myself and pulled with all my might.

I pulled for my freedom, I pulled for my anger of imprisonment, I pulled for a revenge on the witch to come, and I prayed for a chance of love to blossom.

Slowly, but carefully, he finally made his way up the side of the stony castle and into the dainty castle I call home.

He hopped into the castle with a jolt of energy and a burst of orange hair.

"My name is Hikaru Hitachiin and I'm about to sweep you off your feet," he added a sly grin only mischievous kids would have and a small little bow as if to show he was ready for anything and everything.

I suddenly felt awkward that this handsome young man would bow to _me_ and state such a bold statement with such nonchalance. As a last resort, I made a tiny little curtsy and let my head fall down and face the ground so that he would possibly think that his presence was also appreciated, but truthfully, I didn't want him to see the ever-growing trace of redness shown on my cheeks as I let his words sink in.

Apparently my subtle little movements caused quite a response because the next thing I knew, the night was filled with a startling laugh. I immediately looked up into the man's eyes and instantly regretted it.

His eyes were of a rich gold weaved together with a stimulating dandelion yellow and with just a hint of wheat-yellow. They were so entrancing that I inadvertently drifted slightly closer to this mysterious man and his mellifluous laughs, but as soon as I did that, his chuckles slowly died down as he noticed my movement.

He cautiously stepped closer to me and grabbed onto my hand unwillingly at my side. He then gently brought it up to his face and delicately kissed the top of my palm while still staring at me with those piercing cat-eyes.

My breathing started to get heavier, and I started to see haze. My heart was pounding eighty miles-per-hour and had no intention to ever stop. Shivers ran up the length of my arms and threatened to get a lot worse.

Even though I had horrible feelings all over, I had to stay strong and try my best to keep a poker face. I met him eye-to-eye and was surprised to his serpentine mouth give way to another forbidden grin.

My eyes tried to resist the urge of staring blindly at the ceiling or any direction other than those striking eyes. My heart started to swell even bigger as I tried my hardest to slow my heavy breathing once again.

The air must have been horribly awkward because neither of us was talking and my blush just seemed to get darker. In an intrepid burst of energy, I decided that I had to break the unbearable silence, for I could not handle it any longer.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Apparently after all that time debating whether I should speak first or not and finally getting a resolution, he decides to talk first. Unfortunately though, it was still a struggle to get words out of my mouth.

"Well…I haven't talked to someone in about three years." Was that really my voice? It was unbelievably soft with almost a cutesy underlay to it.

"How very sad that you were to be imposed with such misfortune, but I do have to say, it's not every day that young men are asked to try and court some unknown stranger, much less, her being delightfully beautiful." After all the force and strength it took me to make my blushing subside, it appeared back again, almost like magic; in the blink of an eye.

I slid my gaze to the nearest corner, not willing to be prisoner to his enthralling eyes anymore. "I'd hardly say I'm beautiful, you can stick with the 'unknown stranger' when you refer to me."

A smirk played on the edges of his perfectly molded lips, "Hmm…Modest too, are we?"

I gave up on the role of "trying to keep cool" as I clambered to the side of the well-kept room, and took a seat on the farthest chair away from "Hikaru" as was possible. I chose the chair instead of the bed (which is just a plain cot) because I didn't know if he was the type of guy to try and "make a move".

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say my presence isn't appreciated. Maybe I made the wrong decision by coming here today. What do _you_ think, do you want me to stay?" Hikaru said as he took the slightest step towards the window.

If _I _didn't know any better, I'd say he just wants to get fawned over because clearly, he wanted a response like "Oh, please don't go! My life would be so much better with you in it!" After realizing that, I immediately scoffed and intended to make a statement in which the answer was already apparent.

"You can stay or leave as you may but I must ask you this, do_ you _want to stay?" Just as I uttered that string of words, Hikaru came directly towards me with a shy little smile plastered on his face.

Instead of turning away, I figured that we were now equal and kept a straight face, even as he leaned down directly adjacent to my face. His hot breath was right on my lips and his eyes were a few centimeters away. My eyes widened in disbelief at his behavior.

"Now why would I want to leave when I have _you _as company?" He said pointedly with an expression like a fox.

I was ready for my cheeks to explode because of the feverishly red appearance that I didn't have to see, to know was there.

"And your adorable blushing really makes me want to stay _here_ with _you."_

"It makes me wonder if you'd blush at everything I say because so far you have…" Just as he said that, he leaned in even closer as if to kiss me squarely on the lips.

My reflexes kicked in as I turned to the side and tried to escape his sturdy hold. Hikaru was too fast and had probably already thought everything through.

As I had tried to slip away into the corner of the room, I felt a tug at my hand and was instantly brought back to my seat. Still facing the other direction, Hikaru gave me a small peck on the cheek. That was probably his goal the whole time but wanted to deceive me some more just so I could blush for him.

"I hope the other suitors are nothing like you," I stated this firmly with a mad expression attached to my face in hopes he would take that as a cue to leave.

"Why not? They'd be charming just like me and know exactly what kind of girl they like…" He tried to sound alluring but it wasn't working on me.

"Maybe because they would actually try and make a conversation with me and not just make me blush the whole time."

"Ah, so you did notice! Your face is like a cherry-red tomato every time I try to talk, so really it's _your_ fault. I just wanted to have a good laugh is all."

"Well I'm pretty sure you can have a good laugh by bothering someone else. Besides, it's not nice to lie about someone directly in their face." I knew he had been lying about the "beautiful" thing the whole time; he just wanted to make me blush.

"Lie? I haven't lied. Sure I like to joke around, but lying isn't on my agenda, well at least for _today_." He grinned cheekily at himself but continued to hold my gaze.

It seemed like something was eating away at me, something I wanted to ask desperately but I just couldn't force myself to say it. I knew I had to ask because now was the time to and I didn't know when I'd get the chance to again…

"Hikaru, do you like me?"


	6. The Unfortunate Occasion

**A/N: Here it is, the second update of the week! Thanks to everyone here for their continuted support, especially RandomAwesomness ; )**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners.**_

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"Do I like you? What a silly little question to ask me. I've only just met you, haven't I?"

Indeed I had but it didn't seem like this was going anywhere and I had to know if he felt anything at all towards me.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." That's the only thing I wanted to say to him, nothing more, nothing less. After that, I felt like going to sleep, who could blame me? This new experience wasn't what was expected at all. I thought we were going to be in deep conversations about our lives and share a special little moment occasionally. I never thought he would try to be so brisk and foolishly flirt with me. I only wonder what the next suitors will be like.

I wanted to clear my head of everything and just concentrate on the boy in front of me. If he gets tired of me, won't he leave? His presence was maddening my blushing and my heart gave out a little. I know I'm not in love, but I just couldn't place this feeling.

"Princess Haruhi, won't you tell me what's wrong? You look as though you're about to faint. It isn't because of my mere presence, is it?" He gave me a cheeky wink and obviously knew my response. I blushed again and decided I had had enough. Feelings/responses aside, this boy knew nothing about being a gentleman. First he teases me, then he practically says that he wants to see me blush, and then he tries to kiss me!

"Maybe I'm about to faint because of your lack of politeness. What's wrong with you? Are you always a troublemaker like this? I expected only the finest of men to try and possess my heart; surely you didn't think you could get mine with your fake shenanigans." My words were harsh and unpleasant but I knew they had an effect on Hikaru because his face softened up and his eyes were downcast.

"I guess I never realized that living here, in this castle, could cause a person such mishap. See, I have a brother, a twin brother, and we both live in a very large estate. A castle about ten times as big as this miniscule castle here but anyway, my brother and I shared this special bond; a bond so strong that no one could break. He cared for me and I cared for him. Until that is, a girl interfered. She came to our residence every single day and asked for my brother. I didn't even know she existed until I remembered that she is actually in my fencing class, also with my brother. So, every day for about two months, she came over and politely asked for my twin. Slowly though, I built up anger and pain at the thought that Kaoru might choose her over me, even though Kaoru was always with me no matter what, I couldn't stop the torturous thoughts in my head. After that, my mind started to work in overdrive and pinpointed the next thing I could do to get revenge. I made my way to the royal castle and begged for a spot in this contest. _Your_ contest. Six men were wanted with characteristics of a prince. You have to be a true and pure gentleman for a lady you never knew. That lady is you. The chosen men are informed upon the arrival date they should show up on. Fortunately I was first. Now my brother had heard about all of this and was too late to change it. He went to the castle and such, and begged for a spot but truly he just wanted to get to me. I'm not sure what to do right now but I know that I made some silly mistakes."

He shook his head and continued his gaze downwards.

I would've never known. I felt sympathetic towards him.

"I can tell that you love your brother very much. You shouldn't have left him over some girl he wasn't even talking to. Being careless isn't something you should do lightly." He looked up at me with a sad expression.

It seemed like things had sort of changed, I mean, at least he wasn't still making me blush.

"If your brother ever shows up here, do you want me to tell him anything?" I felt obliged to at least try and help him because he pretty much just told me a big conflict within his life.

"No. I messed up so much already. I think it'd be better if I told him myself. Talking to you really helped me out. I didn't think I'd actually be able to trust you enough to bother telling you my name let alone capture your heart." His sly grin was back but it seemed a little more kind. I couldn't help it, I rolled my eyes.

"Since this is obviously going nowhere, I think it's time to part ways. Well at least, for me it is. I guess I did gain something out of coming here; I got to talk to an actual person who doesn't even know me, about personal problems. I did have fun though, your cute reactions to me made it worthwhile. Thanks for having me over and remember, don't let anyone else take advantage of your blush, okay?" A quick wink with a peace sign was the last thing I saw before he made his way towards the window.

This couldn't really be happening, right?

"Uh…Bye….Hikaru…" I failed to make an acceptable response as I let his words sink in.

"Bye!" He hopped out the window and most likely caught sight of my blush before he hit the moist black dirt at the bottom of the castle.


	7. A Night of Remembrance

**A/N: Thanks for all the continued support and feedback for this story, you guys are awesome! Without everyones reviews, I just wouldn't have been motivated to keep going with the story so thanks again for your support! This chapter is a little short so sorry for that but I can't keep having everyone come one after another, haha. So hope you guys like it and the next update will be Thursday next week.**

** ~Lily Ann**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners. **_

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For the next few nights, my sleeping was caught up in different patterns. One night I got only two hours of rest while the next night, I had around ten.

My moods also had been switching around; it felt like that Hikaru had done something to change my emotions.

While I couldn't pity him, I felt sympathy that he was arguing with his brother. It really seemed like they were close.

If I had ever fought with my sister or brother, I'd immediately be begged for forgiveness. It's no fun when all you have around are your siblings and you can't do anything about it because you're too ashamed to admit the truth.

The only thing I could truly hope for now is a chance to speak with this "Kaoru". Even if this man were to never show up at my castle's front doorstep, I'd still chase him down to tell him what a fool he has been.

But now that I think about it… It'd be better for me to stay out of this. They weren't my problems and I have no right to go barging in on family; how ludicrous I can be sometimes.

I looked out the window for the first time since Hikaru had left five days ago; I knew I wouldn't be let down.

Enveloped in a dusty haze, the sky was gleaming iridescently like a deep grey hue hiding a secret. Even so, the timid setting had a soothing mist to it; almost like a relaxing feel when unguent is spread over a scarlet, pesky rash.

Over time though. I seemed to have gotten used to the air but I still never fully remember how beautiful the moon can be.

It's only once in a while I'm able to see the full moon in its brilliant glory. Pale, dull craters marked their territory on the glistening white-grey ball of rock in the air. In the midst of the night, under the vibrant brightness of the moon, you would still be able to find your way through even the most treacherous of places. Heed the moon, for it can sooth even the hardest of situations.

Stories my grandmother used to tell me were spoken in hushed whispers, underneath the twinkling stars. Her voice was as sweet as ever, even in the night. I would slip on my night slippers and find my path through the maze of a castle into my grandmother's room. At first she would start mumbling when I attempted to wake her up but then she'd eventually toss and turn too much that she would wake up out of her deep slumber.

The stories were fascinating all the while, dragons and witches and wizards were all brought up a lot in these miniscule stories. But then again, so were princesses and princes. If I remember correctly, my favorite story is one not only of love but of compassion and trust too. Whenever I would hear that story, I'd think of my future. I had promised myself that as I grew older; I too would choose someone as brave and noble as the prince of that story.

Since I'm all grown up now, I guess that decision is mine to make right now.

Seeing as how dark it was outside, I assumed that now would be a good time to go to sleep and try to actually have a good sleep. More suitors would definitely be on their way, I had to be on my guard at all times if they were anything like that pesky Hikaru. Only time would tell though. I drifted off into a deep slumber and images of my favorite fairytale coaxed me into a wonderful feeling of placidity and serenity.

My last comprehensible thought was of a strange young man with sharp yellow eyes and hair full of pumpkin orange coloring.

He was trying to make me blush.

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**P.S. By the way, does anyone know if there is going to be a second season of Kaichou wa Maid-sama the anime? I love it so badly and if the rumors are true, it should be starting tomorrow (April 1st). Any help on this matter at hand is greatly appreciated since I'm an Usui Takumi lover :D**


	8. Just an Ordinary Day

**A/N: The next chapter to my first fanfic story :D Hope you guys like it! P.S. Thanks to everyone for the strong support for this story, you all encourage me to keep on writing ; )**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners.**_

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The next day proved to be a little better, it seemed like there were more butterflies, or more flowers outside that gave the air a nice, warm feeling. The sun's rays pelted down on all the living creatures outside; forming a flamboyant aura to all things organic.

I woke up a little earlier than normal because the sky was tinted darker than I usually observe every day. Birds were already singing their morning tunes and squirrels were scurrying. It might seem enchanting now, but it's like this _every day_.

I had to tell myself that so I didn't go on drowsing off the entire day by looking out the window. I had to prepare my breakfast.

To the far side of the castle was a slot. It was square-like but had rounded edges; my best estimate is that you can probably fit two ducks through there at the same time; no more, no less. That's where most of my supplies were given from. As I walked over to the little hole, I found something that I liked out of the pile of hand-packed snacks and foods in a wooden crate. I gathered up the rest of the stuff and carefully piled it onto the small shelf attached to the wall.

My meal was very small because unfortunately, most of my food would be enough for three days, four days maximum. Perhaps the witch had ordered a lack of food to be sent my way in preparations for a loose fitting bridal dress.

I rolled my eyes and continued to look outside.

Before I knew it, dusk had already begun to seep in.

I gently rolled onto my side and opened my eyes. The white stone walls were right in front of me; daring not to get any closer, I rolled onto my other side and prepared to reach the ground.

As I stood up to look outside, my comfort was slowly leaving me and I still left my eyes closed so they could rest for a little while longer. The floor was cold and my feet started to numb up because of the lack of warmth. I immediately regretted getting up and tried to get into my comfortable position once again but I opened my eyes in an instant.

The sky was pitch black and it sounded like there were wolves howling for their un-captured prey. My sides started to tingle with fright and goose bumps formed themselves all over my fleshy-cold skin. Unconsciously, I stepped slowly closer and closer to the window; now was my chance to witness a gruesome creature at its worst. I mean, it couldn't hurt me from up here, right?

I inched closer to the window and my toes threatened to freeze off because of the elite wintriness in the room. My eyes pressed up against the side of the glass window pane in terror before I could even see the cause of the commotion.

It hadn't been wolf howling, it had been a little child crying. A little boy with bright yellow hair was rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand while clenching onto a pink bunny. Loud sobs that seemed to endlessly drag on filled the night's serene silence.

I waited a few minutes more while still hidden, and finally decided to help him. I tugged on the rope that I had tucked safely away in the corner – fully aware that this rope could possibly be the lifesaver of many to come.

The rope dashed out the window in an abundant gust of air and toppled to the ground, I looked directly at the kid and started shouting at him, loudly.

"Hey, you! Over there! Climb up this rope and I'll help you!" He seemed to acknowledge my presence and carefully walked over to the castle. It was clear that he was still crying but it was a mystery as to why.

I felt a slight tug on the end of my rope and got ready to heave him up. As I did this, I was shocked to know that he barely weighed even twenty pounds, it felt like.

When he reached the top of the window and hopped in, I was able to get a good look at him. He had a soft chocolate mixture color to his eyes, a pale pink prince outfit on, and a height of a about five feet or less. My eyebrows shut up as he too finished analyzing me in the same sense as I did him.

Immediately after that though, his eyes started to swell up into tears again and sobs were uncontrollably loud. I wanted to help but I had no clue what to do. Many times I tried to comfort him by thinking to put my hand on his shoulder but at the last second, I rejected the idea.

Because of my shyness and stupidity, I had let this unknown kid cry in front of me for about ten minutes.

That is until; a newfound shadow was lurking around my castle residence.


	9. Cake With a Cherry on Top

**A/N: Thank you to everyone for all the support and reviews and encouragement I've received over the last few months, I truly feel special that people are actually liking this story :D So thank you very much! This chapter was pretty fun to write and I tried to make it as visually descriptive as I could. Hope you guys enjoy it and thanks again ; )**

**P.S. - I will _not_ be updating next week because Monday is my birthday and I'm taking a week off to relax ;)**

_**Diclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, all rights go to their respective owners.**_

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Layers of chalky grey made their appearance on my stone walls in the miniscule castle. Visitors weren't to be expected unless they were of the suitor kind.

My heart started to frantically beat out of control because of my newfound fear. Hands slightly shaking, I gathered up my courage and inched closer to the window.

The soft creaking underfoot was enough to give a mouse a headache, but as I ventured on, my creaking found its way into the darkness.

The little boy with the pink bunny was wearing a blank expression and now had tear-stained cheeks. His eyes started to glance around as he took in his surroundings and straightened up.

As my feet got closer and closer to the window, a sudden blur of black, blue, and tan flew in front of me. A gust of wind made me shiver until my goose bumps grew even smaller goose bumps on top of them.

In the next instant, I found myself face to face with a miraculously dressed handsome man. With dark hair and gleaming eyes, he could've arrived at any girl's doorstep and they would've never refused to let him in.

A strange glint in his eye appeared to be one of worry and protective instincts. His eyes frantically searched the room, ferreting for something only the eye could see.

By the time I could comprehend who or what he was, my thoughts were doing flips in my brain; trying to understand the situation.

The unknown man paced over to the little boy and immediately started rummaging through his elegantly-embroidered pockets. At this, I started to get a little nervous.

He could be pulling out a knife for all I know! It seemed like he was confused a bit so he shifted his head to the side to get a better look inside the pocket.

Finally retrieving the mysterious object, he pulled out a very bright cherry lollipop, a square of the finest milk chocolate I'd ever saw, and a toddler-sized piece of a lemon yellow cake topped with overflowing white frosting and a scarlet cherry on top.

I quickly found myself drooling and day dreaming of the possible taste of that exquisite looking pastry.

He held out those scrumptious treats to the little blonde-haired boy, in response, a face-eating grin started to appear on kid's face. From ear to ear, I've never seen someone so happy about a sugary sweet.

"Hello. My name is Takashi Morinozuka and this is Mitsukuni Haninozuka. Sorry for the intrusion, our most humble apologies to the fair princess." Both Takashi and Mitsukuni took a slight bow as if in the presence of royalty – which they were but the taller, handsome one was the one who had spoken up.

"No need to apologize, I was just a tad frightened as to who or what the noise was. It's a little small in here but please, make yourself comfortable." My only tactic now was to be as friendly as I could muster and maybe they'd actually like me. They both seem so very different from that Hikaru character; maybe that's a good thing.

"Thanks! We'd appreciate it a lot! By the way, do you have any extra sugar you don't need?" This time I was stunned as to who was talking this time. A high-pitched almost girl-like voice was filling the uncomfortable air. The little boy must've spoken.

Sure I knew that his voice would have to be higher to match his cute face but the noise was just weird when it actually came out. I stumbled with my words when I tried to answer back.

"Uh…I might, let me check…" My feet led me straight for the shelf on the wall and I searched throughout my unimpressive collection of food. After ferreting through every last crevice and creak, I found an ivory colored tub of moon-white sugar. Satisfied with myself, I wore a smile and gave the sugar to my unexpected guests.

"Here you go. Sorry if it's not enough, my supply is limited." The little boy graciously accepted the little tub of sugar and poured all of it on top of the cake. Making sure not to miss any tasty morsels of sweetness, he cupped his hand directly under the now empty tub.

I gazed in amazement at this creature and wondered how he could stand to actually devour _that_ much sugar.

As much as I wanted to try that cake, my appetite was as gone as my tub of sugar.


	10. Chapter 10

Dear Readers,

I have to put off the writing of this story until I finish my school year. My education comes first in everything I do and lately I have been slacking and I am unable to do an excellent job for all my lovely readers. In the midst of sleeping every night at 1 A.M. and barely passing tests above an A, I will have to continue this story after school is over. That's about a month away (well at least I think so). So sometime in June is when I will start updating this more quickly. Please don't give up on me because I won't give up on this story! I just have a lot on my plate right now. Thanks for the support through all my chapters, every single reader is as amazing as the stars on a pitch black night : )

Love,

Lily Ann


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